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My Grandfather, my HERO

Posted on 5/24/17 - by Anthony Roller jadelynsdad@aol.com

My grandfather, AE1 Melvin Carl Thompson was killed in action in Vietnam in 1968. His plane was shot down by a Cambodian boat. He and his crew mates will never be forgotten. RIP. Greater have no love, than a man lay down for his country. God bless our troops. Your Grandson, Anthony Lee Roller

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Final Mission of AE1 Melvin C. Thompson

Posted on 7/22/14 - by wkillian@smjuhsd.org

At 0900 hours on February 5, 1968, a P-3 "Orion" aircraft assigned to Patrol Squadron 26 at U Tapao Airbase, Thailand, left on a "Market Time" mission over the Gulf of Thailand (Gulf of Siam). They were scheduled to return to their base at about 0900 hours the following morning. The crew on board the aircraft included LT Thomas P. Jones, LTJG Lynn M. Travis, LTJG Roy A. Huss, AXCS Donald F. Burnett, AX3 Armando Chapa Jr., AX3 William F. Farris (AX designates Antisubmarine warfare technicians and related duties), AOC Donald L. Gallagher, AMH2 Homer E. McKay, ADR1 James C. Newman Jr., AE1 Melvin C. Thompson (A designates in many cases, aviation personnel, i.e. AE1 is Aviation Electrician's Mate First Class). As antisubmarine warfare was all but unknown in Vietnam, there were a variety of duties handled by those trained in antisubmarine warfare. As marking submarines, and/or destroying them involved the use of marking buoys, electronic "ears" and other technical equipment suited for target marking, antisubmarine teams were frequently used for search missions. They also sometimes assisted in attacks on small enemy water craft. Shortly after midnight on February 6, the Orion reported a surface contact. Some two hours later it reported another contact somewhat further east. The last report received from the Orion was after 0300 hours. No subsequent communication was received. An emergency communication alert for the aircraft was declared shortly after daybreak and a full search and rescue (SAR) was declared. In the late afternoon of February 6, wreckage and debris were sighted and identified. On February 7 search and rescue operations were terminated at sundown. Salvage operations were conducted from February 11 through March 21. The investigating officer concluded that the Orion had impacted with the water, and that the aircraft had been completely destroyed, and that all of the crewmembers had died instantly. The Orion went down about 50 miles off the shores of South Vietnam's An Xuyen Province in the Gulf of Thailand. Presumably, all the crew aboard are "buried" at sea - an honorable burial for a naval man. This crew is listed with honor among the missing because no remains were ever found. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]

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Final Mission of AE1 Melvin C. Thompson

Posted on 5/10/14 - by wkillian@smjuhsd.org

At 0900 hours on February 5, 1968, a P-3 "Orion" aircraft assigned to Patrol Squadron 26 at U Tapao Airbase, Thailand, left on a "Market Time” mission over the Gulf of Thailand (Gulf of Siam). They were scheduled to return to their base at about 0900 hours the following morning. The crew on board the aircraft included LT Thomas P. Jones, LTJG Lynn M. Travis, LTJG Roy A. Huss, AXCS Donald F. Burnett, AX3 Armando Chapa Jr., AX3 William F. Farris (AX designates Antisubmarine warfare technicians and related duties), AOC Donald L. Gallagher, AMH2 Homer E. McKay, ADR1 James C. Newman Jr., and AE1 Melvin C. Thompson (A designates in many cases, aviation personnel, i.e. AE1 is Aviation Electrician's Mate First Class). As antisubmarine warfare was all but unknown in Vietnam, there were a variety of duties handled by those trained in antisubmarine warfare. As marking submarines, and/or destroying them involved the use of marking buoys, electronic "ears" and other technical equipment suited for target marking, antisubmarine teams were frequently used for search missions. They also sometimes assisted in attacks on small enemy water craft. Shortly after midnight on February 6, the Orion reported a surface contact. Some two hours later it reported another contact somewhat further east. The last report received from the Orion was after 0300 hours. No subsequent communication was received. An emergency communication alert for the aircraft was declared shortly after daybreak and a full search and rescue (SAR) was declared. In the late afternoon of February 6, wreckage and debris were sighted and identified. On February 7 search and rescue operations were terminated at sundown. Salvage operations were conducted from February 11 through March 21. The investigating officer concluded that the Orion had impacted with the water, and that the aircraft had been completely destroyed, and that all of the crewmembers had died instantly. The Orion went down about 50 miles off the shores of South Vietnam's An Xuyen Province in the Gulf of Thailand. Presumably, all the crew aboard are "buried" at sea - an honorable burial for a naval man. This crew is listed with honor among the missing because no remains were ever found. [Narrative taken from pownetwork.org; image from wikipedia.org]

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Remembering An American Hero

Posted on 11/20/13 - by Curt Carter ccarter02@earthlink.net

Dear AE1 Melvin Carl Thompson, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

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MELVIN C THOMPSON

5/24/1935 - 2/6/1968

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Based in Arlington, Virginia, VVMF (the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) is the nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1980 to build a national memorial dedicated to all who served with the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War. Incorporated on April 27, 1979 by a group of veterans led by Jan C. Scruggs, the organization sought a tangible symbol of recognition from the American people for those who served in the war.